The U.S. And Russia Are Still "Miles Apart" On Missile Defense

A Russian Topol-12M mobile nuclear missile Photo: REUTERS

Missile Defence Still A Thorny Issue Post Cold War -- Damien McElroy, The Telegraph

Missile Defence is a relic of the Cold War that endures as a dividing line between Russia and the US despite Washington's recent drive to bring the Kremlin on-board.

President Barack Obama made modification of plans to erect a missile-based defence shield a signature plank of his foreign policy.

Russia objected to President George W Bush's policy of ensuring the US could prevent any intercontinental attack.

Moscow was also hostile to an encroaching US footprint in its former Eastern European satellites designed to address the increasing range of Iranian missiles.

In a significant concession, plans to put ballistic missile batteries in Russia's neighbours were abandoned.

Scrapping the fixed missile positions incurred considerable anger from host countries and across America's central European allies.

Read more ....

My Comment: Europe's missile defense is primarily aimed at Iran .... unfortunately .... Russia does not perceive (or accept) the possibility that Iran may one day be a formidable adversary with a missile arsenal and WNDs. It is this disagreement on Iran as a threat that is driving the wedge between Europe/U.S. and Russia. Who is right? I would like to hope that Russia will be vindicated, and that Iran's nuclear and missile programs will ultimately be shut down followed by Europe's missile defense program. Unfortunately .... when it comes to the Middle East .... we in the West have not been that lucky. The Missile Defense program will continue .... and we should expect Russian reaction to be just as negative (if not more so).